Village

Village Residence is located near the Walker Complex. It is a townhouse-style arrangement accommodating 868 students. It combines on-campus convenience with a more independent lifestyle. Each unit has three single bedrooms, one double bedroom, one four-piece washroom and one two-piece washroom, and a kitchen/dining/living room area. We provide all basic furnishings for the bedrooms, a kitchen table and chairs for the dining area and lounge furniture. A refrigerator and stove outfit the kitchen. The units are equipped with central vacuum.

Village North

Jacob Dittrick (1755-1828) joined Butler’s Rangers in New York state and fought with them during the American Revolution. When the Rangers were disbanded in 1784, he received a land grant on Twelve Mile Creek as a United Empire Loyalist. He and his wife Margaret were among the founding settlers of St. Catharines. He served in the Lincoln Militia in the War of 1812.

Mary Theal (1838-1914) was born on land now owned by Brock University. The original family member came to America in 1636, settling in Massachusetts. Several of Mary’s ancestors took an active part in the American Revolution and some later came to Canada as Loyalists. Her grandfather settled in the Niagara Peninsula in 1800, and served with the 2nd Lincoln Militia in the War of 1812. Three generations of the Theal family, including Mary, owned and lived on the present Brock lands.

Peter Lampman (1749-1834) was a member of an early Loyalist family who fled New York state in the 1780s during the American Revolution. Peter and his wife, Elizabeth, eventually settled in Grantham Township. He farmed, served on a municipal council and in the militia in the War of 1812.

Village East

Harriet Tubman (1820-1913) was a courageous and compassionate woman who, as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, guided blacks from slavery to freedom. While based in St. Catharines, she is credited with 19 dangerous journeys and with bringing 300 escaped slaves to the city. Called Black Moses for her indomitable spirit, she received a Diamond Jubilee Medal from Queen Victoria and was honoured with a commemorative stamp from the U.S. government — the first in the Black Heritage U.S.A. series.

William Kirby (1817-1906) was born in England and immigrated to the United States in 1832. He came to Canada in 1839, finally settling in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He edited the Niagara Mail for 20 years and was a collector of customs, 1871-1895. He was a writer of some repute, both as a novelist and historian. His most famous work was the historical novel, The Golden Dog (1877). His historical accounts include The Annals of Niagara (1896) and other works dealing with Loyalist and Niagara history.

Janet Carnochan (1839-1926) was a school teacher and principal, churchwoman and noted local historian in Niagara-on-the-Lake. She founded the Niagara Historical Society in 1895, serving as its president for 30 years. She headed the fundraising campaign to build Memorial Hall, the first building in Ontario to house a local historical museum. She was the author of many historical writings and Carnochan Day is celebrated annually in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Village South

Francis Petrie (1920-1983) was a local historian, writer and speaker for 25 years. He produced a regular weekly newspaper article, wrote pamphlets and addressed many heritage groups on the history of Niagara Falls and the Niagara Peninsula. He also served on various historical society and museum boards, and as official historian of the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Agnes Ethelwyn Wetherald (1857-1940) lived for many years in Pelham Township. She was honoured at her death as an outstanding writer. She was a journalist on the staff of the Toronto Globe as well as a freelance writer who contributed to various periodicals. She also published five volumes of verse.

John Hainer (1744-1802) was a United Empire Loyalist, who served in Butler’s Rangers during the American Revolutionary War. He was one of the earliest settlers on Twelve Mile Creek land, which is now part of the City of St. Catharines. He was influential in establishing the first church and school in the area.

Village West

Emma Currie (1829-1913) was the founder of the present day Women’s Literary Club (founded 1892). As well, she organized the Orphans’ Home, advocated women’s right to vote and took an interest in many societies of her time.

Jacob Green was killed in a disturbance near the old jail in Niagara-on-the-Lake in September 1837. Closely associated with Herbert Holmes, he was determined to resist an attempt to return to the United States a slave named Solomon Moseby, accused to horse stealing. Green was killed instantly by armed constables after having stopped a prison wagon carrying Moseby. Moseby escaped, making his way to England. Green’s death was the culmination of long-standing anxieties and grievances: no authoritative statement was ever made whether Moseby was to be tried for horse stealing or whether (as was widely rumoured) he was being returned to slavery. Something of the same suspicion and distrust must have surrounded the outbreak of rebellion north of Toronto three months later.

Named after Arthur and Muriel Bennett to recognize a very generous gift made by the estate of Muriel Bennett to Brock University. Muriel was born in Nichol Township and returned to Port Colborne in 1921 where she was a teacher at Dewitt Carter School until 1931. She was an active member of the Port Colborne Central United Church. She was also a life member of the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, Port Colborne General Hospital, UCW of Central United Church and Bruce County Historical Society. Muriel passed away in 1998. She was 99. Her husband Arnold predeceased her in 1965.This gift tells not only of the Bennetts’ contribution to higher education and to Brock University, but it also shows their optimism and belief in the future.